Question 1

Is written allergen information available for every dish on your menu?

Accepted Answer

Written allergen information at the point of decision is the baseline. If a guest has to ask, you’ve already introduced friction.

Question 2

Can guests filter or view menu items by specific allergens without asking staff?

Accepted Answer

Self-service filtering removes the need for a conversation about allergies. For guests, that’s dignity. For staff, that’s time back.

Question 3

Is allergen information updated within 24 hours when a recipe or supplier changes?

Accepted Answer

If a recipe changes on Monday and your allergen info updates on Friday, you have four days of wrong answers.

Question 4

Can guests access allergen information digitally (e.g., QR code, website)?

Accepted Answer

Digital access means a guest can check before they arrive. That’s the difference between choosing your restaurant and choosing someone else’s.

Question 5

Does your allergen information cover all 14 UK-regulated allergens for every dish?

Accepted Answer

The 14 regulated allergens aren’t optional. Partial coverage is the same as no coverage, legally.

Question 6

Can any front-of-house team member answer an allergen query within 30 seconds?

Accepted Answer

Thirty seconds is generous. If your team hesitates, the guest notices. Confidence comes from access, not memory.

Question 7

Do staff have access to a live, digital ingredient reference (not a printed binder)?

Accepted Answer

Printed binders go out of date the day they’re printed. If the reference isn’t live, it isn’t reliable.

Question 8

Are new staff trained on allergen procedures within their first week?

Accepted Answer

The gap between a new starter’s first shift and their allergen training is your highest-risk window.

Question 9

Can kitchen staff confirm the allergen status of specials and modified dishes?

Accepted Answer

Specials and modifications are where allergen mistakes happen most. If it’s not on the standard menu, it’s not in the standard process.

Question 10

Is there a clear escalation process when staff are unsure about an allergen query?

Accepted Answer

An escalation process means someone always has the answer. Without one, uncertainty becomes a guess.

Question 11

Is allergen data stored in a single, centralised system (not multiple spreadsheets)?

Accepted Answer

Multiple spreadsheets means multiple versions of the truth. One source, or you’re guessing which is right.

Question 12

When a supplier changes an ingredient, is every affected dish updated automatically?

Accepted Answer

Manual cascade updates are where things get missed. If it’s not automatic, assume something is wrong somewhere.

Question 13

Do you track ingredients at the individual product level (not just dish level)?

Accepted Answer

Dish-level allergen flags miss hidden ingredients. Product-level tracking catches what dish-level doesn’t.

Question 14

Is your allergen data consistent across all locations?

Accepted Answer

One wrong answer at one site is a brand-wide problem. Consistency isn’t a nice-to-have — it’s the whole point.

Question 15

Can you produce a full allergen audit trail showing what changed and when?

Accepted Answer

When something goes wrong, the first question is “what changed and when?” If you can’t answer that, you can’t fix it.

Question 16

Could you pass an unannounced EHO allergen inspection today?

Accepted Answer

If the answer is “probably,” it’s not good enough. An EHO doesn’t make appointments.

Question 17

Do you have a documented procedure for handling an allergen incident?

Accepted Answer

An incident procedure isn’t for when things go well. It’s for the worst fifteen minutes of your year.

Question 18

Are allergen processes reviewed at least quarterly?

Accepted Answer

Menus change. Suppliers change. Quarterly reviews catch the drift before it becomes a gap.

Question 19

Do you track and review allergen-related customer complaints or near-misses?

Accepted Answer

Patterns only surface if you look for them. A complaint log is a prevention tool, not a filing exercise.

Question 20

Are you actively preparing for upcoming allergen regulation changes (e.g., Owen’s Law)?

Accepted Answer

Owen’s Law hasn’t passed yet. But restaurants that are ready won’t need to scramble when it does.

How strong is yourallergen process?

How strong is your
allergen process?